October 31
1900s-1960s *1900 - Ban Johnson writes a letter to National League president Nicholas Young seeking peace, based on parity as a major league for the American League. *1931 - The St. Louis Cardinals release the last legal spitballer, pitcher Burleigh Grimes. *1953 - After touring Japan with the New York Giants, baseball commissioner Ford Frick compares the level of Japanese play to that of Class-A minor league baseball. *1957 - Yogi Berra of the New York Yankees says the team returned fine money to players involved in the Copacabana night club fight. *1960 - The San Francisco Giants acquire veteran shortstop Alvin Dark from the Milwaukee Braves and then sign Dark to a two-year contract as team manager. The Giants send infielder Andre Rodgers to the Braves as compensation for Dark. *1961 - A federal judge rules that Birmingham, Alabama laws against integrated playing fields are illegal, eliminating the last barrier against integration in the Southern Association. *1967 - San Francisco Giants pitcher Mike McCormick, the NL leader with 22 victories, is honored with the Cy Young Award. It is the first year in which pitchers are honored in both leagues. 1970s-1990s *1972 - Cleveland Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry wins the American League Cy Young Award by a 64-58 margin over Wilbur Wood of the Chicago White Sox. Perry won 24 games for the fifth-place Indians. *1973: **Tom Seaver of the New York Mets wins the NL Cy Young Award, the first time the honor has gone to a pitcher with fewer than 20 victories. Seaver finished 19-10 and led the league in ERA (2.08) and strikeouts (251). **The Philadelphia Phillies send third baseman Don Money and two others to the Milwaukee Brewers for four pitchers, including Jim Lonborg and Ken Brett. More importantly, the deal opens up third base for a young infielder named Mike Schmidt, who will embark on a Hall of Fame. **The Houston Astros trade pitcher Jerry Reuss to the Pittsburgh Pirates for catcher Milt May. Reuss will finally put it all together in Pittsburgh and win 58 games in four seasons. *1977 In a trade of pitchers, Cincinnati send Woody Fryman and Bill Caudill to the Cubs for Bill Bonham. *1979 - Mike Flanagan, who posted a 23-9 record for the Baltimore Orioles, is named the winner of the AL Cy Young Award by a comfortable margin over Tommy John of the Yankees. *1995 - Retired second baseman Ryne Sandberg announces that he will return to the major leagues in 1996. The 10-time All-Star signs a one-year contract to play for the Chicago Cubs. 2000s *2000 - According to rankings of the Elias Sports Bureau, Randy Johnson is named the top player for the 2000 season. *2001 - For the first time since Philadelphia Athletics’s Mule Haas hit a game-tying two-run home run in Game Five of the 1929 World Series, a team comes from behind to tie a Fall Classic game in the ninth inning and goes on to win in extra innings. A two-out, two-run home run by Tino Martinez in the bottom of the ninth ties the game, and Derek Jeter hit a home run in the bottom of the 10th, giving the Yankees a 3–2 victory over Arizona and knots the series at two games apiece. Both homers come off Byung-Hyun Kim, who relieved Curt Schilling in the eighth inning. Mariano Rivera gets the win in relief for the Yankees. *2005: **Silver Slugger Award winners were announced in each league. In the American League won Jason Varitek (C), Mark Teixeira (1B), Alfonso Soriano (2B), Alex Rodriguez (3B), Miguel Tejada (SS), Manny Ramírez (OF), Gary Sheffield (OF), Vladimir Guerrero (OF) and David Ortiz (DH). In the National League were selected Michael Barrett ©, Derrek Lee (1B), Jeff Kent (2B), Morgan Ensberg (3B), Felipe López (SS), Miguel Cabrera (OF), Andruw Jones (OF), Carlos Lee (OF) and Jason Marquis (P). **Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein resigned, a stunning move that surprised the baseball world one year after he helped build Boston's first world champion since 1918. No replacement was named for Epstein, who reportedly told friends he might take a year off from baseball. Births *1900 - Cal Hubbard, Hall of Fame umpire (d. 1977) *1941 - Ed Spiezio, infielder *1942 - Dave McNally, All-Star pitcher (d. 2002) *1948 - Mickey Rivers, All-Star outfielder *1958 - Paul Zuvella, infielder *1960 - Mike Gallego, infielder *1963 - Fred McGriff, All-Star infielder *1963 - Matt Nokes, All-Star catcher *1968 - Eddie Taubensee, catcher *1970 - Steve Trachsel, All-Star pitcher *1973 - Tim Byrdak, pitcher *1973 - David Dellucci, outfielder Deaths *1928 - José Méndez, Hall of Fame Negro League player and manager (b. 1887) *1936 - Deacon McGuire, catcher (b. 1863 *1974 - Buddy Myer, All-Star infielder (b. 1904 *1982 - Sheriff Blake, pitcher (b. 1899) *1997 - Sammy Hairston, catcher (b. 1920 *2000 - Andújar Cedeño, infielder (b. 1969)